§Melinda Yates of the New York State Library announced
that Dan Button will speak about his new book, Take City Hall!, at the
New York State Library on December 10 at 5:30
PM.Members are encouraged to attend.

§John Cirrin, Public Information for the Albany Public
Library, announced that the public is invited to a series of presentations by
architectural planning consultants that will be held in the large auditorium
during December.The library is
seeking an innovative, progressive and experienced consultant to assist in the
development of a library facilities and programming master plan.He encouraged CANA
members to attend.A schedule will
be sent to the CANA chair for distribution to members.

The
Library is also sponsoring a reading and book signing with Dan Button this
month.

Minutes
– Minutes of the November 6 meeting were approved.

It
was suggested by the Chair that a representative of each association present
a 5-minute report on new and interesting events and issues in their
neighborhood at upcoming meetings.Presentations
shall be made on a rotational basis; the following associations volunteered
for the next few months.

§January – New Scotland Avenue/Woodlawn

§February – Delaware Area

§March-
Center Square

§April – Arbor Hill

§May – Hudson/Park

In
June, other neighborhood representatives will present a broader report.

5.In order to provide members with an overview of the CANA website, the Chair provided
printed copies of the table of contents for distribution.

6.Committee Reports

A.Committee on University and Community Relations
– Tom Gebhardt

The next meeting will be at 7 PM on Wednesday, December
11 at the Albany Police Department at 526 Central Avenue.John Murphy, Director of Judicial Affairs at the University at Albany will provide a summary
of judicial actions regarding inappropriate off-campus students. Several
advertising campaigns are underway as well as the Adopt-a-Block program.

B.Neighborhood Works Planning Committee
– Gene Solan

On November 23, 2002, 125 residents participated
in the five lively workshops offered at the Neighborhood Works Conference.Issues of concern were identified and subcommittees were formed.Representatives of the subcommittees will meet with City officials in
December.Members of the
Neighborhood Works Committee were recognized and thanked for their participation
and assistance.

C.Community Police Council –
Fred Perkins

The Council met earlier this
evening.The members worked on
redefining the Committee’s goals and objectives.Three issues considered were (a) community policing of code enforcement;
(b) culture; and (c) the development and distribution of a booklet that states
the Committee’s core mission.

D.Sematech Impact on Neighborhoods –

Anne Savage and Howard Stoller will continue
attempts to contact the City of Austin Texas to gather information
about the effects Semetech has had on Austin neighborhoods.They will contact the neighborhood in the Fuller Road area where the
Semetech facility will be located, as well, and report findings at a future
meeting.

7.Guest Speaker – Professor Ray Bromley

Professor Bromley presented
information about the “Monumental Visions and Urban Transformations in Albany
1948 – 1978” conference, one of several events sponsored by SUNY Albany, the
Albany Institute of History and Art, and the City of Albany in recognition of
the 350th anniversary of the founding of Beverwyk.Several events were videotaped and will be available at the SUNY library
in two to three months.A meeting
will be held at the University Administration building on Thursday, December 12
at 1 PM to consider proposals
for future events such as conferences, lectures, and workshops.

One of the most popular topics
at the conference dealt with the 40-block neighborhood that was destroyed to
build of the EmpireStatePlaza.7,000-9,000 people (7 percent of Albany’s residents) were
traumatically moved from their homes and relocated.A half-day “reunion” meeting is planned to provide former residents
of that neighborhood and the area surrounding it with the opportunity to share
oral histories, facts, memories, and feelings about that neighborhood which no
longer exists.

Some of the effects of the
destruction of this neighborhood have been overlooked in the recording of
Albany’s history, such as
the impact upon public works and services, politics, infrastructure, etc.
Information and oral histories presented at the upcoming reunion will be
recorded with audio and videotape and subsequently be stored and made available
to the public.

Professor Bromley encourages other long-time
residents of Albany to share any
information and recollections of their present or former neighborhoods and
participate in the discovery process of some of Albany’s overlooked
heritage.Individuals who may have
documents such as Albany city street maps (particularly from the 1940’s and
1950’s), photographs, records, memorabilia, etc. are encouraged to consider
donating them to the SUNY Library(Brian
Kehoe in the Special Collections Section), Albany Institute of History and Art
(Wesley Balla, 463-4478), or the Albany Public Library History Collection (Ellen
Gamache, 472-4303).Presently the
SUNY library has the funds and manpower to organize and catalog items relative
to Albany’s history.

8.New Business and Announcements

A.Leonard Morgenbesser called members’ attention to the number of
incidents of gun violence reported in the local newspapers, particularly in the
last several months.He reported
that the Albany Common Council is considering the formation of a community and
city coalition to address the issue of youth gun violence.Mayor Jennings and the City of Albany Youth Department are sponsoring a
half-day event in January on this subject, similar to the one-day event
sponsored by the US Attorney in Syracuse.It was recommenced that the chamber of commerce and “Capital District
Business Review” be made aware of these incidents and the negative image gun
violence has upon the Albany business community.Mr. Morganbesser encourages involvement by CANA and Albany residents in speaking
out about youth gun violence in the city of Albany.

There is concern about fiscal and law
enforcement resources diverted to providing homeland security and the effect
that has municipalities’ ability to maintain safe streets with fewer budget
resourcesThe Chair will
approach Chief Neilson about addressing CANA at a future meeting to explain how
these transfers have effected the City of Albany.

B.AlbanyCity Budget – Harold
Rubin

Harold Rubin, representing CANA, was the only
individual who attended the City’s budget presentation.He summarized the following comments he made at the meeting.

§Significant changes in the budget should be explained in the document.Presently that information is available to Council members in committee
meetings when they request it.

§Common Council members and committees should receive budget information
throughout the fiscal year.

·Historic financial statistics should be included to determine income and
spending trends.

§Common Council should review bonding operating costs included in the
budget .

§Additional information about the City’s workforce should be provided.

§Greater detail regarding the $2.7 million in outstanding parking fines
should be provided as well as information about efforts being made to collect
those fines.

§The Common Council can and should take more active role in the budget
process.

C.Nominating Committee for CANA Officers – Howard Stoller

A committee consisting of three people
representing three different neighborhood associations must be established to
nominate individuals to serve as CANA officers for the upcoming year.A motion nominating Harold Rubin (Center Square), Gene Solan (Pine Hills), and Pat Maxon (Upper Washington Avenue), to serve as that
committee was made and seconded.

D.Newspaper Coverage

Louise McNeeley (432-0516) will be contacted
to encourage the Times Union to provide more news coverage about the Albany neighborhoods.

E.Niagara Mohawk

The City seems to be unaware of the details of
its contract with Niagara Mohawk and as a result, continues to pay for services
that are not being used, such as non-working streetlights.Niagara Mohawk representatives continue to be unresponsive to CANA members’ requests for information.In order to get an overview and general information about contracts
between municipalities and utility companies, the Public Service Commission will
be contacted.Results of that
contact will be reported at the April CANA meeting, and if it’s deemed
appropriate, a meeting with the City, Niagara Mohawk, and the Public Service
Commission will be requested.

F.Upcoming Speakers

The date of the January CANA meeting will be
determined based upon which evening Major Jennings would like to speak.His office has been contacted, and members will be contacted by email
notifying them of the date of the January meeting.